South Africa's limited-overs captain, Quinton de Kock, on Thursday (August 27) hailed the team’s recently-concluded successful culture camp while highlighting exactly why the integration of up and coming cricketers at the camp was important.
The Proteas squad of 32 players, including 16 national contracted members and the High-Performance squad, had a successful team culture camp over the weekend in Skukuza from 18 to 22 August.
The Cricket South Africa stated that the camp was “aimed at bringing together players as well as the coaching and support staff of the national and High-Performance teams to align on objectives and plot the road ahead with a new cricket season not too far from the beginning.
Topics under discussion included the Proteas’ team identity in their capacity as representatives of a diverse nation, the team environment as well as its performance both on and off the field.”
De Kock said in a CSA press release: “I think it’s been really good. We’ve had a lot of good chats which I think the team needed. Everyone is leaving feeling a lot better about the environment and about themselves. A lot of guys got things off their back, it was something that this team needed.”
The 27-year-old further added, “We feel a lot more comfortable as a team going forward, which was needed… we’re excited about going into the future now.”
He also said the camp was important for the youngsters to be exposed to the team’s environment before playing for the country, adding: “In this environment, even though you’re contracted it doesn’t mean that you’re guaranteed to play, so I think it was important that the up and coming players needed to be there with the squad. This is a professional sport and we’re trying to play the best team that we can.”
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The wicketkeeper-batsman further added, “If a younger guy is performing and he gets an opportunity, it doesn’t help that he hasn’t been here and he doesn’t know anything. We’ve seen what they’ve done in the franchise system and we know there’s a potential future for them in the team, so it was important for them to come here. It was great to learn some views from the younger guys and help them understand the situation with the Proteas and how we want to go about things.”
De Kock signed off by saying, “We are human and we make mistakes. We're trying to get better in what we're doing in our professions, that's why we got together. I can't promise results but I can promise that we'll get better and we are learning, which will give us the best chance of getting better results.”
Players who attended the camp:
Aiden Markram, Andile Phehlukwayo, Anrich Nortje, Beuran Hendricks, Bjorn Fortuin, Daryn Dupavillon, David Miller, Dean Elgar, Dwaine Pretorius, George Linde, Glenton Stuurman, Heinrich Klaasen, Janneman Malan, Jon-Jon Smuts, Junior Dala, Kagiso Rabada, Keegan Petersen, Keshav Maharaj, Kyle Verryenne, Lungi Ngidi, Lutho Sipamla, Pieter Malan, Pite Van Biljon, Quinton de Kock, Rassie van der Dussen, Reeza Hendricks, Rudi Second, Senuran Muthusamy, Sisanda Magala, Tabraiz Shamsi, Temba Bavuma, Zubayr Hamza, Theunis de Bruyn.
(With ESPN Cricinfo Inputs)
